Lyn Brown served as the Shadow Minister for Africa until standing down from Parliament in 2024, and was appointed to the House of Lords as a life peer.
16 Facts About Lyn Brown
1.
2.
Lyn Brown was educated at Drew Road Primary School, Silvertown and Plashet Comprehensive School before attending the Whitelands College, Putney.
3.
Lyn Brown was elected as a councillor to Newham London Borough Council in 1988.
4.
Lyn Brown unsuccessfully contested Wanstead and Woodford at the 1992 general election but was beaten by 16,885 votes by the Conservative James Arbuthnot.
5.
In 2005, West Ham MP Tony Banks retired and Lyn Brown was selected to contest the safe Labour seat through an all-women shortlist.
6.
Lyn Brown became the seat's MP at the 2005 general election with a majority of 9,801 votes.
7.
In 2006, Brown became the parliamentary private secretary to the Communities and Local Government Minister, Phil Woolas.
8.
Lyn Brown remained as a whip, in opposition, following the 2010 general election.
9.
In June 2011, Lyn Brown was criticised by campaigners for recruiting an unpaid intern whilst supporting "a living wage for all".
10.
Lyn Brown stated she "would like to pay everyone" in her office, but "did not have the resources to do so".
11.
In October 2013, Lyn Brown was appointed by Ed Miliband to serve as Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government.
12.
In October 2016, Corbyn reappointed Lyn Brown to serve as a Shadow Minister, as Shadow Minister for Policing, during which time, Lyn Brown temporarily replaced Diane Abbott as Shadow Home Secretary during a period of ill health for Abbott.
13.
Lyn Brown stood down at the 2024 general election, and was nominated for a Labour Party life peerage by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
14.
Lyn Brown was created Baroness Brown of Silvertown, of West Ham in the London Borough of Newham, on 23 January 2025, and was introduced to the House of Lords on 27 January.
15.
In May 2008 Lyn Brown married John Cullen and exercised her privilege as a member of Parliament to hold the ceremony in the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft in the Palace of Westminster.
16.
Until May 2009, Lyn Brown rented a central London flat using the second home allowance, despite her constituency being only 6 miles from Westminster.